The Ivors Academy has revealed the winners of 14 Ivor Novello Awards as part of The Ivors Composer Awards 2020.
Celebrating exceptional new works by composers writing for classical, jazz and sound art, awards were presented to 11 composers, in addition to three Gift Of The Academy Awards. All category winners were commissioned by venues or organisations ranging from the Vortex Jazz Club to the BBC Proms.
Composer Julian Joseph OBE (pictured) became an Academy Fellow, the Academy’s highest honour, in recognition of his contributions to music in the UK. Joseph is the 21st Academy Fellow, joining the likes of Kate Bush CBE, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Gary Carpenter, chair of The Ivors Academy’s Awards Committee, said: “My heartfelt congratulations go to all the winners, nominees and recipients of Gift of the Academy awards. An Ivor Novello Award represents innovation, quality, creativity, determination and beauty through composition and music creation. But most of all it represents the esteem that composers and music creators hold for each other.
"Contemporary classical, jazz and sound arts rely on performances, venues and events to reach our audiences. As we hopefully emerge from the worst of this health crisis we have an important opportunity to rejuvenate culture in the UK by supporting, nurturing and playing work by contemporary music creators.”
Supported by PRS For Music, The Ivors Composer Awards were formerly known as the British Composer Awards, having rebranded in 2019.
PRS CEO Andrea C Martin said:“Congratulations to all the winners at The Ivors Composer Awards. We are incredibly proud that two of the composers nominated for awards this year have taken part in PRS for Music development workshops, and 26 received funding from our charity partner, PRS Foundation. Now more than ever, it is important to celebrate and support composers and the dedicated teams that help bring their works to life.
"While the classical, jazz and sound art communities have all faced their own unique challenges in recent months, creativity has not stopped, and we must ensure it continues to thrive. We hope that these accolades help to shine a light on the remarkable work of those honoured.”
The full list of winners was as follows:
CATEGORY AWARDS
CHAMBER ORCHESTRAL
GRIN by ROBIN HAIGH
for chamber orchestra
CHORAL
PIETA? by RICHARD BLACKFORD
for mezzo soprano, baritone, SATB chorus, optional children’s chorus and string orchestra
COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATION
MORE UP by OLIVER VIBRANS
for chamber orchestra and electronics
JAZZ COMPOSITION FOR LARGE ENSEMBLE
CREPUSCULE by CHARLIE BATES
for jazz orchestra
JAZZ COMPOSITION FOR SMALL ENSEMBLE
THE VISION THEY HAD by RENELL SHAW
for seven-piece band
LARGE CHAMBER
HONEY SIREN by OLIVER LEITH
for string ensemble
LARGE ORCHESTRAL
HORROR VACUI by JONNY GREENWOOD
for solo violin and 68 solo strings
SMALL CHAMBER
SIX MOVEMENTS by DANIEL FARDON
for string quartet
SOLO OR DUO
DIARIES OF THE EARLY WORM by GARETH MOORCRAFT
for solo alto recorder
SOUND ART
TWITTERING MACHINES by KATHY HINDE
bespoke vinyl, objects, live electronics, field recordings and video projections
STAGE WORKS
DENIS & KATYA by PHILIP VENABLES
opera: for mezzo soprano, baritone, four amplified cellos, tape and video, with libretto by Ted Huffman
SPECIAL AWARDS
ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP
JULIAN JOSEPH OBE
INNOVATION AWARD
YAZZ AHMED
OUTSTANDING WORKS COLLECTION
CECILIA MCDOWALL
